


Comings And Goings

by afteriwake



Series: And Now I'm Learning You [14]
Category: Doctor Who, Sherlock (TV), Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-27
Updated: 2014-09-27
Packaged: 2018-02-19 00:48:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2368088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After months of searching the Doctor finds the universe where the USS Enterprise was stranded above Alfava Metraxis. The day he finds it, however, Khan comes back from a week away with news that the people in Moriarty's criminal network have begun to go after Sherlock's friends, starting with John. So as one group leaves the TARDIS to hopefully go home the others on board begin to prepare for another group of people to come aboard to be kept safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comings And Goings

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to be able to bring in the Sherlock crew without a whole bunch of people who know that Khan isn't really Sherlock's brother around, and I also wanted to show definitively that Khan is going to choose Molly over going back and being a prisoner. Hopefully I accomplished that.

Molly came into the console room, more eager than she usually was. Khan was coming back after being gone for nearly a week in non-TARDIS time, even though it was only a matter of hours for her. She knew he was going to want to see her because usually when they had to be separated for more than a day the first person he wanted to spend any time with was her. She stopped short when she saw the look on the Doctor's face. He had a frown and he was hanging his head slightly. “Doctor?” she asked, trying not to panic. “Is anything wrong?”

He snapped his head up and looked at her with wide eyes. “No! Nothing's wrong, Molly. Absolutely nothing.”

“Are you lying to me?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “Because Amy said you try not to make your companions worry.”

He gave her a small grin. “No. I had thought I'd found the specific parallel universe James and the others are from but I hadn't,” he said. “I'm still trying, though. I know James and the others want to go home. They aren't happy being here.”

“No. They miss their friends and family,” she said, moving closer. 

“Khan seems to be happy here, though. Or at least happy when he's around you,” the Doctor said thoughtfully. “I think when Khan told me he didn't want to go back I was surprised at first. He had wanted to very much for a while. Then he explained he and his crew would never be free, and the only way it would be bearable was if you were there, but you would be a prisoner as well and he didn't want to put you through that. I understand that reasoning behind him wanting to stay. Still, I wish it was different, that there was a way everyone could get what they wanted.”

“I do too,” she said quietly.

“I think bad things would happen if he went back. He was determined to have revenge, and I'm fairly sure if you weren't in his life nothing would stop him from enacting it. He loves you very much and he is a better man here because of you.”

“I suppose that's true,” she said with a nod as she got to the console. “He's told me what he had planned as revenge. I know just how bad it could have gotten. I'm glad he's choosing not to go back.”

“I am too,” the Doctor said, turning to look at Molly with a small smile. “It's about time to pick him up, I think.”

“Good,” she said with a smile of her own.

The Doctor was about to saw more when there was a beep from the monitor he'd been looking at. His eyes widened. “I found it.”

“You found their ship?” she asked, surprise on her face.

The Doctor turned some dials and knobs. “Yes. The USS Enterprise, and it's in orbit around Alfava Metraxis. I can get James, Leonard and Nyota back to their ship.”

“We should go tell them.”

“Let's get Khan first. Now that I've located the universe we can go there as soon as we get him.” He moved to the console and hit a few buttons, and then he went down to the doors and opened them. Khan stood there, cradling his arm. “Are you all right?” the Doctor asked.

“My arm is broken in at least two places. In a little over a day I should be fine, but it's going to be uncomfortable,” he said.

“What the bloody hell happened?” Molly asked, coming closer.

“I was tortured,” he replied. “And I wasn't the only one. I managed to free him but I need help getting him on board.”

“Who?” the Doctor asked.

“John Watson,” he replied. “He's unconscious and badly injured.”

“Sherlock isn't going to be happy,” Molly said, her eyes wide. “But I'll go get him and the others.”

The Doctor nodded. “That would be best.” Molly turned to leave, and he looked back at Khan. “Does he know the truth?”

“That Sherlock is alive? I'm fairly sure. They only brought him into the same room I was in the last few hours we were there. I took care of the problem but with the broken arm it took longer.”

“I'm assuming when you say you took care of the problem most of the men didn't survive?” he asked. 

Khan shook his head. “They're all still alive, even if some of them would prefer not to be.”

The Doctor made a face. “I find that side of this whole business to be distasteful.”

“When I have ten men who show no regard to my health and well-being who are actively trying to kill me I'm going to make sure they can't. But I only severely injured three of them this time,” he replied. “In most cases I don't kill people. Incapacitate them, yes, but they're still alive at the end of our encounter.”

The Doctor sighed. “I suppose I should be thankful for that.”

“It would be much more efficient to simply kill them all, but I don't want to become a mass murderer.” He paused. “I suppose I should say go back to being one, at any rate.”

“I remember that war,” the Doctor replied. “It was bloody and brutal. It was pointless.”

“War is always generally pointless, though it seemed to have brought about an era of peace. Hopefully Admiral Marcus doesn't willingly drag the people there back into another one now that I'm no longer helping him.”

“About that universe,” the Doctor said quietly. “I located the Enterprise.”

Khan's eyes widened. “That's surprising.”

The Doctor nodded. “ I can get James and his friends back on their ship and maybe get them home.”

“I'm sure the others will gladly take you up on your offer,” he said. “I, however, will be going back to this universe with the rest of you when you're done taking them back. I refuse to leave Molly in danger, and she will be so long as that criminal network is still operational.”

“I had hoped you would say that,” the Doctor said with a small grin.

Khan was quiet for a moment. “I do think, however, I might need to pay a visit to Kirk's ship. I may not choose to stay there, but I can give them information to at least try and stop Admiral Marcus's plan, if they're willing. If that black hole can get them back home, at any rate.”

“And that is the question,” the Doctor said. “But I'll do my best to help them.”

The two men lapsed into silence until Molly came back to the console room with all the men who were currently staying on board. McCoy was carrying his medkit and Sherlock looked quite troubled. “They had John?” Sherlock asked Khan.

Khan nodded. “We need to go get him. My arm is broken so I can't bring him on board. I can show you where he's at, though.”

“Let me look at your arm,” McCoy said.

“That can wait. We need to get John out before everyone inside the building comes to. And he has extensive injuries that need tending to.”

“Then let's go get him,” Sherlock said. Khan moved towards the door and Sherlock, Kirk and McCoy followed. The others began to wait nervously, and then thirty minutes later Sherlock and Kirk came back in, carrying John as carefully as they could. “Do you have a room for him, Doctor?” Sherlock asked.

The Doctor nodded. “We'll put him in the first one on the left.”

Sherlock and Kirk made their way to the room with the Doctor leading the way. McCoy and Khan came in next, and McCoy shut the doors behind him. “Where is Dr. Watson?” McCoy asked. “I need to start fixing him up.”

“First room on the left,” Rory replied. “I'll help.”

“I'd appreciate it,” McCoy said. Then he looked at Khan. “I know you have super healing powers and everything, but I'm looking you over next. You may be able to heal but you still need those broken bones set properly.”

“Very well, McCoy,” Khan said with a sigh. McCoy and Rory left, leaving Khan and Molly alone. Molly came over and very carefully embraced him. He hissed slightly and she pulled away. “I may have neglected to tell him I have broken ribs as well.”

Molly shook her head. “You keep getting hurt and I don't like that. I know you can heal from just about any wound but every time I see you injured I get just a little more scared for you. And there's so much more you need to do before this is all over.”

“I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, short of dying,” he said quietly. “I made a promise to you that I would protect you and I fully plan to carry through on that promise.”

“I know,” she said with a sigh. “I just worry every time you come back hurt.”

“This is hard on you, I know, and I'm sorry.” He moved over towards the chair by the console and she followed. Gingerly he sat down in it, and after a moment she came over and gently touched his face. He shut his eyes and she could see he was relaxing. She pulled her hand away and leaned over to kiss him softly. When she pulled away he opened his eyes, looking up at her. “You can't imagine how much that fortifies me,” he murmured.

“Well, I can do that as often as you want,” she said with a smile. “And more, once you feel better.”

“I look forward to that.” They were quiet as they heard footsteps coming back to the console room. After a few minutes the Doctor and Kirk came in. Khan and Molly turned to look at them. “Judging by the look on your face I see the Doctor told you you could go home,” Khan said.

Kirk nodded. “Yeah. Not that I hated everything about being here, but I can't wait to get back to my crew.” He studied Khan for a minute. “You're really not going back, are you?”

Khan shook his head. “If I go back there's going to be a path of death and destruction in my wake. And it's not safe to leave the mission I'm on now unfinished. You aren't going to be foolhardy enough to force me to go back, are you, Captain?”

“No,” Kirk said. “But I'm worried about what Admiral Marcus has planned. If what you're saying is true--”

“It is,” Khan interrupted.

Kirk rolled his eyes. “Then we need to make sure he doesn't start a war with the Klingons and whoever else he wants to start a war with.”

“I have information that will help. After all, I've spent weeks at the facility underneath the Kelvin Memorial Library. I also know the location of the hangar near Jupiter where they are building a Dreadnaught class ship.”

“You didn't mention that before,” Kirk replied.

“Well, you didn't believe me about the underground facility, so there was no point in bringing it up,” he said with a slight shrug, and then he winced. 

“I think if I can see the hangar near Jupiter I'll be more inclined to believe you about the Kelvin library,” Kirk replied.

“James, there's something you need to know,” the Doctor said. “I can get you back to your crew, because they're still in orbit around Alfava Metraxis. But there is no guarantee I can get you back to your home universe. If that black hole only works one way...”

Kirk was quiet for a moment. “Being back with my crew will be a start,” he said finally. “We'll see what we can do once I'm back on board the Enterprise.”

“That sounds like a good plan,” the Doctor said with a nod. He turned to Khan and Molly. “Do you think the people who took John will make a play for Sherlock's other friends?”

“If they haven't already targeted Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson I wouldn't be surprised if they're next,” Khan said. “It would be a logical move.”

“Then we should get them,” Molly replied.

“Let's get James and the others settled back on their ship and see about getting them home first,” the Doctor replied. “Then we'll go get the others.”

“All right,” Molly said. “How is John?”

“Badly hurt,” the Doctor said quietly.

“If you can get us back to the Enterprise we can get him in the medbay and see everything that's wrong,” Kirk said. “And we can take care of Khan, too.”

“Do you have any objections to that?” the Doctor asked Khan. Khan shook his head, and then the Doctor turned to Kirk. “I'll bring us to that universe and then patch you through with your ship to see if I can land the TARDIS in your ship somewhere.”

“Probably the shuttle bay would be best,” Kirk said.

“Then let me do that,” he said. He began to move around the console, pulling levers and pressing buttons and turning knobs and dials. Finally he stopped. “We're in orbit near the Enterprise. Let's communicate with your ship now.” He went near the monitor and pressed some buttons before motioning for Kirk to come closer.

After a moment a voice familiar to Kirk spoke. “This is Acting Captain Spock of the USS Enterprise. Identify yourselves,” Spock said.

“Spock!” Kirk said with relief, a wide grin on his face.

“Captain?” Spock asked with a touch of confusion.

“Oh, you don't know how good it is to hear your voice,” Kirk said. “It's a really long story and I promise I'll share it soon, but do you see a blue police box floating nearby the ship?”

“I do, Captain.”

“I'm on it. I mean, Bones and Uhura and I are on it. We need to land it in the shuttle bay. And we have two injured people on board, one who's worse than the other.”

“Of course, Captain. Do you need us to do the transport?”

“No, I can take care of that,” the Doctor said. “I just need to have a clear space to land.”

“He's on our side,” Kirk replied before Spock said anything. “Just put out an order to have everyone clear out of the shuttle bay and let us know when it's done.”

“Very well,” Spock replied. He gave the order, and then he was silent for a moment. “Captain, where have you been? You and the others went into the cavern and we lost contact with you five minutes ago. We were about to send down another away team.”

“Whatever you do, _don't_ send anyone else down to that planet. It's dangerous.” He paused for a moment. “It's a really long story, and I promise I'll tell you, but I want to do it in private. There's some decisions we need to make.”

“As you wish, Captain.” They lapsed into silence for a few moments and then Spock spoke again. “The shuttle bay is clear.”

“Good. As soon as the ship I'm in lands there, have a team from the medbay come with a stretcher. I'll go tell Bones we're home and he can get our patient there and start fixing him up.”

“Go get Leonard,” the Doctor said. “I'm sure by now Rory has gone to go get Amy and Nyota.”

Kirk nodded. “I'll be back soon,” he replied.

“Are you still there, Spock?” the Doctor asked.

“Yes, I am. To whom am I speaking?”

“My name is the Doctor. I need you to lower your shields so I can pilot my ship onto yours.”

“How?” Spock asked curiously.

“It's almost like your teleporter system,” he said. “But I can't do anything because your shields are up.”

There was a pause. “Very well. Lieutenant Sulu, lower the shields.”

“Thank you,” the Doctor said. He moved around his console, doing what he needed to do, and then the cloister bell rang. The Doctor went to the door and then opened it as Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, Amy and Rory came out into the console room.

“We're really back on the Enterprise?” Uhura asked, her eyes wide as she made her way to the doors.

The Doctor nodded. “In the middle of the shuttle bay.”

She moved over to the doors and stepped outside of them. “James, we're really back,” she said when she stuck her head back in. She had a wide grin on her face.

“Thank God,” Kirk said, following her. The others stepped outside as well, including Khan and Molly. “It's good to be home,” he said with a wide grin.

Within moments a team of medical personnel came up to the TARDIS and McCoy began directing them in what he wanted them to do. A few of the medical personnel gasped upon seeing the inside of the TARDIS but McCoy just told them to get to the patient. Ten minutes later the stretcher came out of the TARDIS with John on it and Sherlock behind everyone. McCoy looked over at Khan. “You're coming with me too,” he said.

Khan sighed. “Fine.” He leaned over and kissed Molly's cheek. “I'll see you soon.”

“I know,” she replied with a smile. With that Khan followed McCoy, Sherlock and the others away from the TARDIS. After a few minutes three people approached the group of them still by the TARDIS. She looked over at Kirk. “Who are they?” she asked.

“Spock, Hikaru Sulu and Pavel Chekov,” he said with a grin.

“Why aren't any of you in uniform?” Sulu asked, his brows furrowed.

“Long, _long_ story,” Uhura said before she went over and embraced Spock, who held her close. 

“These are some friends I made along the way,” Kirk said. “Sulu, Chekov, meet Amy Williams, Rory Williams, Molly Hooper and the Doctor.” Then he pointed to Uhura and Spock. “And that's Spock, but he's a bit preoccupied at the moment.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” the Doctor said to the two men.

“So these are two of the blokes you were talking about?” Amy asked with a grin. She extended her hand to them, and Chekov came over and shook it as Sulu did the same with Rory. “It's nice to put faces to names.”

“Captain, how long is this long story?” Chekov asked.

“Well, let's put it this way. What was five minutes for you guys was just under two and a half months for us,” Kirk said. “There's a lot that happened and a lot that us senior officers need to discuss.” At that point Spock and Uhura came over to them. “Nice of you to join us.”

“Nyota said it has apparently been a much longer time that we have been separated than it seemed for us,” Spock said with some confusion. 

“Time travel,” the Doctor said. Then he turned to Kirk. “Is there anyone else we should have with us, James?”

“Well, other than Khan and McCoy I think Scotty should hear this,” Kirk said after thinking a moment.

“I'll have him come up from engineering,” Spock said with a nod.

“Let's meet in that conference room near my quarters in about thirty minutes. McCoy and Khan can join us whenever they're done in the medbay. Sulu, Chekov, can you take my other friends there? Uhura and I should probably change back into our uniforms first.”

“Of course, Captain,” Chekov said with a grin. “If you all will follow me. I mean, us.” He and Sulu began to lead the others towards the transport system. “So you are all from England, yes?”

Rory nodded. “Yes. We're all from London, except Amy.”

“I'm Scottish,” she said with a grin. She looked around. “This is a huge ship.”

“It is pretty big,” Sulu said with a nod. “I'm curious as to how the Captain met all of you.”

“I'm sure he'll get into the full story in a bit,” the Doctor said. “But essentially all of you traveled to a parallel universe, and then the three of them who went on Alfava Metraxis went to _another_ parallel universe where I and my friends are from.”

“Alfava Metraxis?” Sulu asked.

“The planet you are currently orbiting,” the Doctor said. “That's what it's called. It is a very dangerous place.”

“How is it dangerous?” Chekov asked.

“An alien race lives there who are capable of sending people to the past as well as other universes, apparently,” the Doctor replied. “They're called Weeping Angels.” They got to the transport and then it opened. They all filed in and then the doors closed. “I'm sure your Captain will fill you in on the rest as soon as he joins us.”

“I hope he does,” Sulu said

A few minutes later the doors opened up again and Sulu and Chekov led them to a large room. Everyone took a seat and Chekov used the replicator in the room to get them all hot tea and the cream and sugar they added to it. They had been there for just over five minutes when Scotty joined them, and twenty minutes after that Kirk, Spock and Uhura came in. Just as they were getting settled the doors opened again and McCoy and Khan came in. McCoy was still out of uniform and Khan's arm was in a splint. “Where's Sherlock?” the Doctor asked.

“He won't leave the medbay,” McCoy said. “We had to put Dr. Watson in a medically induced coma. I'm honestly surprised he wasn't dead. The damage was considerable. Anyway, Khan said if he could get to a lab he'd make more of the serum once his arm heals.” Then he turned to Khan. “And you _are_ going to leave me blood samples, right?”

Khan nodded as he sat down next to Molly. “I'll leave you as many as I can before we leave.”

“Good,” McCoy said with a nod. “Does everyone know what happened yet?”

“Some of it, but not everyone and not all of it,” Kirk said. “I was just about to get into the full story now. We need to figure out what to do with the information Khan is willing to give us.”

Spock looked at Khan closely. “Captain, Khan is from here, is he not? And he goes by the name John Harrison?”

“ _That_ is part of the whole long complicated story,” Kirk said. “But he's not coming back. Trust me, we don't want him coming back.” He looked around. “So. This is what happened, and we need to figure out what to do next.” And with that, Kirk explained about the Weeping Angels, about being sent three hundred years in the past in a parallel universe, and how they got back, and then he let Khan tell them about what he had been doing before he got taken by the Weeping Angel in the library and what he knew of Admiral Marcus's plans. He reiterated that it would be a _very_ bad idea if anyone in the room seriously considered taking him back to their home universe. Finally the Doctor spoke, explaining how the black hole had transported the Enterprise to this universe and theoretically how he could get them back home, though he did warn that it might not work due to what had happened in their home universe. By the time they were done the Enterprise crew who hadn't been sent to London looked stunned. “And I think that's everything,” Kirk finished, leaning back in his chair. “Did we miss anything?”

“No, I'm fairly sure you got it all,” Uhura said.

“The knowledge that Khan has imparted is...disturbing,” Spock said finally. “The fact that the head of Starfleet wants to disregard the Prime Directive is troubling.”

“It's more than troubling,” Sulu said. “It's downright dangerous. We need to stop him.”

“Perhaps we can bring this to Admiral Pike's attention?” Chekov suggested.

Kirk turned to Khan. “Was he involved in anything you knew about?”

Khan shook his head. “He had no involvement in Admiral Marcus's plans. I can give you a list of the men and women in the upper echelons of his planning, though, if you think that might help.”

“It will,” Kirk said. Then he turned back to everyone else. “So. Do we want to go home and try and fix this? Because I'm going to tell you the truth. Admiral Marcus is powerful. We could lose our posts or end up imprisoned, and if that happens there's no guarantee we'll be able to stop whatever it is he's planning.”

“It's still worth the risk,” Scotty said. “The only question I have is can we get home to _do_ it?”

“If you and I put our heads together we can attempt to figure out a way to get you home using your warp drive,” the Doctor said with a grin. “James said you're a genius at that sort of thing.”

“Did he now,” Scotty said with a grin.

“Don't let it go to your head, Scotty,” Kirk said with an answering grin. “So show of hands. Are we going to do this or not? If you want to do this, raise your hands.” He raised his, and every other Enterprise crew member in the room raised their hands as well. “Then it's settled. We try and stop him from dragging all of us into an unnecessary war.”

“Captain, are we really going to let Khan go free?” Spock asked.

Kirk nodded. “Admiral Marcus just said he wanted him back in London. He didn't flag him as a terrorist or anything. If he comes back with us he's going to kill a bunch of people, Admiral Marcus included, and probably us too if we forced him to go back. I don't really want to be dead and I'm sure we don't want to be the reason a bunch of other people are dead. I don't want that much blood on my hands. And what he's doing in their home universe is really important. There are a lot of people who could get hurt or worse if he doesn't go back to fixing the mess there. He can do a better job taking care of it than the man he looks like.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Khan said with a nod.

“You're welcome,” Kirk replied. “So we need to keep this between all of us. Once Sherlock's friend is better and the Doctor and Scotty can figure out a way to get us home we're going to go back and try and stop Admiral Marcus, and everyone else is going to go back to _their_ home and take care of what they need to take care of there. So for now, let's just act like nothing is too out of the ordinary. If it blows up in our faces I don't want anyone else dragged into it that doesn't have to be involved. Let's get back to work. McCoy, get Khan a lab to work in so he can make that serum and get you your samples. Everyone else, let's go to work.” His crew stood up, as did Khan and the Doctor, and they began to leave the room, leaving Amy, Rory and Molly. “You guys want a tour?” he asked.

“I'd love one,” Molly said with a smile.

Amy and Rory nodded. “A tour sounds brilliant,” Rory said.

“Then I'll give you the best tour ever,” Kirk said with a grin of his own.

The three of them got up and they followed Kirk as he showed them all of the ship. It took them two hours, and when they were done he took them back to the TARDIS, where they all went to wait for the others. After a while Amy and Rory decided to get some rest, and Molly went into the console room to wait for the others. She took a book with her and sat on the chair. About three hours later she was nearly finished with the book when the doors opened and Khan came in, this time without the splint. “I see you're still up,” he said.

She nodded, yawning slightly. “I wanted to wait up for you.”

“You don't need to do that, but I won't deny I appreciate it.” He came over to the chair and she stood up. “The technology here is far more advanced to what you're used to, but McCoy sped up the healing of my broken bones. I'm still sore, but the bones are no longer broken.”

“That's good,” she said with a smile. After a moment she looked down and began playing with a button on his shirt. “I'm very happy right now.”

“That I'm better?” he asked placing a hand on either side of her waist.

“Well, yes, but mostly because you have the opportunity to go home and you're choosing to stay with me,” she said. “I had been worried that if it actually happened you would change your mind and go back.”

He moved a hand away from her waist and tilted her chin up so she was looking at him. “I have told you before that you are important to me, and you know that I love you. And all that awaits me in my home universe is death and destruction and imprisonment of one form or another. It's better to have an actual future with you than it is to go back to that.”

“I'm glad you feel that way,” she said with an even wider smile. “I hope you always feel that way.”

“I'm fairly sure I will,” he murmured before leaning in towards her. They were just about to kiss when the doors opened up. Khan sighed and turned around, seeing the Doctor, Kirk, Uhura, McCoy, Chekov and Scotty there. “You always have the worst timing, Doctor.”

“I apologize,” the Doctor said sheepishly. “But Leonard wanted the machine I used to keep Sherlock in the coma when he was injured, Montgomery and Pavel wanted a tour of the TARDIS and James and Nyota wanted to say their goodbyes.”

“It really is bigger on the inside,” Chekov said with wide eyes. Scotty nodded, looking surprised but not as much.

“I told you it was,” the Doctor said with a grin. “Once we get John back on board we can leave and let them go back home. Where are Amy and Rory?”

“In their room. Probably sleeping,” Molly said.

The Doctor made a face. “It's the probably part that scares me.”

“I'll go get them,” Molly said with a chuckle. Khan let her go and she made her way back towards the rooms they all had.

McCoy looked over at the Doctor. “I know where the device is. Why don't I go get it and you can give Scotty and Chekov their tour?” he asked the Doctor.

“That sounds like a great idea,” the Doctor said with a nod.

McCoy left the console room and Kirk turned to Khan. “Are you going to miss any of us?”

“Not particularly, no,” he said. Kirk grinned slightly at the response, as if he had expected it.

“You really don't make friends, do you?” the Doctor asked, shaking his head.

“I've made a few,” he said defensively. “I suppose by now I would consider Amelia and Rory more than acquaintances. And possibly Sherlock as well. And you.”

“Well, I'm glad to be more than an acquaintance,” the Doctor said with a laugh. “I'll leave all of you and show these two gentlemen around. It won't be a full tour, but I'll show you the important bits.” He turned to Scotty and Chekov. “Coming?”

“Absolutely,” Scotty said with another nod. With that the three of them left the console room.

Kirk looked at Khan for quite a few minutes before he spoke. “I'll try and make sure your crew is okay,” he said. “I don't have any clue what the hell is going to happen, but I'll try and make sure they're safe.”

“Thank you, Captain,” he said with an inclination of his head. Kirk was going to say more but Molly returned with Amy and Rory, and McCoy came out a few seconds later. Soon the console room was loud with good-byes and people were hugging and there might have been some tears as well. Khan stayed away from all of them, watching the scene from the console. McCoy left first, and ten minutes after that Uhura and Kirk left. Amy and Rory retired back to their bedroom shortly afterward, leaving Molly and Khan alone again. Khan was sitting in the chair, and after a moment he pulled her down onto his lap, looking at her. “You're going to miss them,” he said quietly.

She nodded. “I think I am, yeah.” She put her arms around his neck. “But you're staying, and that will make it easier.”

He ran a hand up and down her back. “I'm glad.”

“Do you think they're going to succeed in stopping him?” she asked.

He was quiet for a moment. “It depends on how they go about it. If they feel they can trust Admiral Pike, and he can sway others before they confront Admiral Marcus, they have a chance. I don't think it will be easy, but they might be able to succeed. I hope that they can.”

“Good,” she said. She kissed him then for a few minutes before she pulled away and rested her head next to his on the back of the chair. They were quiet as they sat, and they were still sitting like that when McCoy came back on board with a stretcher that bore John, with Sherlock behind them. “Is he going to be okay?” she asked.

“The serum Khan gave him is already helping,” McCoy said. “I think he'll be fine in a few days. It isn't like he's coming back from the dead like Sherlock did. Khan, could you carefully pick him up and take him to the room he was in before so the device doesn't dislodge? First one on the left.”

Khan nodded, and Molly got off his lap so he could do that. He went and picked John up, careful not to dislodge the device. Sherlock thanked McCoy and then McCoy left, taking the stretcher with him. Molly moved over to Sherlock and gave him a hug. “What's that for?” he asked.

“You looked like you could use one,” she said as he awkwardly embraced her back.

“Thank you, I suppose,” he replied. “I didn't like seeing him like that.”

“I know. He and I might not be close but seeing that much damage...” She tightened her hold on him. “But he's going to be okay. That's what’s important.”

“I know,” he replied with a slight nod. They stayed like that for a few minutes before someone cleared their throat from the console. Sherlock pulled away from Molly. “She instigated it.”

“I don't care about that,” Khan said. “I just thought you'd like to know John is settled and there's a chair that looks fairly comfortable in the room now. I think the TARDIS knows you're going to stay there until he wakes up.”

Sherlock nodded and made his way to the console. “I'll leave you two now.”

“Good night, Sherlock,” Molly said.

“Good night Molly. Khan,” he said, and once he walked past Khan he made his way back to where John was.

“Has the tour ended yet?” Khan asked.

“No, not yet,” she said. “Why?”

“I want to get back home before anyone changes their mind about forcing me to go back,” he said.

“They won't,” she said. Then she reached over for his hand. “Come on. We should get some rest too.”

He nodded, taking her hand in his. “That sounds like a very good idea.”

“Sometimes I have them,” she said with a chuckle, squeezing his hand. She gave him a grin and he gave her one back as they made their way to the room. This wasn't a bad end to the day, she realized, and she was quite thankful that she wasn't going to be alone again after all of it.


End file.
